And if I find her not, if time shall fail, Then through thy labyrinth, Eternity, Love’s silken clue shall lead me safe at last— YVETTE Monseigneur! [DE VARDES _turns_. DE VARDES Yvette! [_Two soldiers of the Company of Marat pass beneath the trees._ THE FIRST SOLDIER ‘Tis near the cockcrow! What devil’s work we’ve had, and have! THE SECOND SOLDIER Courage! There are not so many now! Then home and sleep! [_They pass._ DE VARDES Oh, rest thee on thy lover’s breast, my heart! My life, my love, my dear, my Duchess Jeanne! Oh, ‘neath the moon thou’rt like a lily flower! YVETTE René, René! DE VARDES Thy lips! [_They kiss._ No, no, thou’rt not That Vivien whom I did call thee once. She was an evil fay; thou’rt pure and good! Nor art thou that fair piteous Duchess Jeanne Who died for love, whose look thou wearest now! Thou never wast that woman star-begirt, Whom they did hail as Goddess here in Nantes. No Goddess thou, thou wan and broken flower!— This is green Morbec, thou’rt the herd girl there And I thy fisher, home from out the west. My heart, my love, my silver rose, my _douce_! YVETTE The flowers drifting from the fragrant trees! Unearthly light— [_They kiss._ DE VARDES Now come, Eternity! VOICES FROM THE RIVER It is so sad to die!—No, no, ‘tis sweet! Adieu, adieu! SOLDIERS So, down! Ha, ha! _Les Noces Républicaines!_ DE VARDES _Les Noces Républicaines!_ YVETTE ‘Tis what they call this death— SOLDIERS So near the dawn! Here are the _tricoteuses_. VOICES OF WOMEN Not yet they’ve done! Diantre! So many weddings in one night! Here are the girls from Carrier’s barge at last! OTHER VOICES Petit-Pierre! André! SOLDIERS Céleste—Nanon! Zephine, ‘Toinette! THE WOMEN _Vive le son! vive le son! Dansons la Carmagnole!_ A TRICOTEUSE